Latvian Museum of Foreign Art
The Art Museum RIGA BOURSE (in Latvian: 'Mākslas muzejs RĪGAS BIRŽA') is a museum in Riga, Latvia. It was established in 1920 and contains the most extensive collection of world art in Latvia from Ancient Egyptian/Middle eastern art dating back to 5000 BC to present.
Coordinates: 56°57′00″N 24°06′18″E / 56.9499462°N 24.1050864°E
In the first half of the 19th century, Riga's trade developed. The merchants established their own permanent organization, the Stock Exchange Committee. At this time, all deals were made in the City Hall (Rathaus).
In 1847, the Great Guild of Riga decided to leave the City Hall and to give the rooms back to the city's court institutions. The members decided to build a new building that could contain the Guild itself, the Stock Exchange Committee and a city theatre.
The architect that had to design the bourse was Harald Julius von Bosse, a Baltic German noble who worked in Saint-Petersburg. His missions were to settle the bourse in the Old Town and also "to adapt to the irregular layout of the blocks, the narrow streets and the dense arrangement of buildings.". Later, the idea of the city theater was rejected because of the risks of fire. Von Bosse started his design in 1850 but the location he chose didn't please the Exchange Committee. Then it was decided in 1851 to construct the building on the corner of Pils iela, Šķūņu iela and Jēkaba iela. Finally, the construction began on 25 March 1852.
For the façade of the Bourse, it was decided to use a terracotta décor, sculptures with allegorical content and decorative elements. The Danish sculptor David Jensen, also established in Saint-Petersburg, was in charge of this project. Then, on 26 May 1856, the Riga Stock Exchange was ceremoniously opened in the presence of the Russian tsar Alexander II.
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